Update: While both the US and Canada did not have access to VLC for Android on the Play Store at launch, some of our Canadian readers have pointed out that they have since been able to download it from there for quite some time now. As it turns out, the American release was indeed the last hold out.

We in the tech industry have a tendency to throw around the word "finally" perhaps a tad more often than we should. Developing things takes time, and some features that seem easy to implement on the surface actually require a great deal of effort and man hours to accomplish.

Some things, though, really make us just go seriously? VLC for Android is one such case. The app, which first appeared in a beta form in the summer of 2012, has not been available to North American users in the Play Store. Yes, that includes you, dear American readers, and not just our often-neglected Canadian neighbors in the cold, barren North. Sure, we all could install the APK manually, but that just wasn't the same.

Now things have finally changed. Yes, finally.

At launch, VideoLan said the lack of North American Play Store availability was the result of its not having access to enough devices from the region. Then, roughly two years later and right before the chaos that was Google I/O, the project sent out this tweet.

Oh, and for once, VLC for Android is also on the USA Play Store. And still on our website for everyone ;)

So in case you missed it, there it is. If you meander on over to Google Play, you will see that VLC is now sitting there innocently, smiling back at you sweetly as though it hadn't been playing hide-and-seek alone for the past two years.

Comments

It was region locked ? What the hell ! Probably an issue with the codecs.. So stupid !

Paul_Werner

I may check this out but it'd have to be pretty substantial to pull me away from MX Player now

Michał Kumor

This is how "the rest of the world" usually feels like when things become available for us much much later than for US citizens.

Cherokee4life

exactly what i was going to say... I don't like it lol

derk p

im so sick of being last for or not included in everything. i live in the US.

shaunajdavidson

my buddy's
sister makes $87 every hour on the internet . She has been unemployed for 6
months but last month her payment was $19402 just working on the internet for a
few hours. go right here M­o­n­e­y­d­u­t­i­e­s­.­C­O­M­

Uh, what region lock? I had for it 2 or 3 months now, and I DLed it from Russian Play Store

Stanley C.

To late for mobile. sorry VLC, youre not in my devices :-)

MxPlayer FTW!

https://steamcommunity.com/id/m-p-3 m-p{3}

You should still give it a try.

Also, Chromecast support incoming :P

https://steamcommunity.com/id/m-p-3 m-p{3}

Uh? I had VLC for a while here in Canada. Maybe it's because I have a Nexus device?

Mike Harris

From the Play Store? I'm pretty sure that was the point of the article.

https://steamcommunity.com/id/m-p-3 m-p{3}

Yes, I have it from the Play Store since then.

http://mekakiwi.blogspot.com.br/ ED-Z が あらわれた！

Here in Brazil we can't enjoy a lot of US-Locked apps for no reason... So, don't complain...

http://mekakiwi.blogspot.com.br/ ED-Z が あらわれた！

After my rant above, I'll comment about the most likely reason for that.
Patents, Codecs patents... I remind a couple of articles about VLC being sued over Codecs patents.

Sharath

MX Player all the waaaaayyyy!!!!

https://steamcommunity.com/id/m-p-3 m-p{3}

Meh, I prefer VLC UI.

mlj11

So, AP... To commemorate this momentous occasion, what say you give VLC a full proper review, complete with comparisons against other media apps like MX Player?

JLM

I agree. Can we get a review and comparison to other players like MX Player, Avia, VPLayer? I listed the video players I have, but there might be better/more popular ones.

Heck a video player review even without VLC would be good to have.

evolutionx1

Also Dice Player..

Chris X

I would second this request. I would, also, ask what the benefits are of a 3rd party video player compared to the pre-installed options. I know that, for one, we need 3rd party players in order to view video taken on iPhones, but what are the benefits beyond that?

István Szabó

E.g. the ability to load subtitles, easier and more accurate navigation within video.

http://www.willpresley.cf Billy Presley

I'll jump on this bandwagon. Now that there are a few debatable options out there, I would love to see a thorough review of some of them, on some varying levels of hardware (to see differences between SW/HW decoders, etc).

Randy Strye

i'm with VLC over MX simply because i don't have to wait a month to use it every time android updates its version number by 0.0.1

Daniel Siladji

It works with the L preview, maybe even without needing to update

mgamerz

Why. Why do developers not use the standard overflow button and try to create their own. Look at the spacing of that button.

WORPspeed

Really? This also doesn't qualify as FINALLY.
FINALLY would be when this app ditches it's beta tag!
Finally was all the years the US had it all and FINALLY a good app comes along that the US doesn't get.

THAT is FINALLY...

this...this is nothing....you could even download the apk and bam you are there....Gargle Vois? Google Wallet? Google Offers? THOSE are the REAL REGION-LOCKED apps/services....

I hate to be this guy, but someone has to do it: #spoiledamericans

EDIT: I do feel for you canadians out there, stay strong!

awaaas

Even Google Keyboard isn't listed on my N4 in Indonesia for somewhile ago (it started showing after 4.4.3 update). Sure I can sideload it from somewhere else, but come on, it's a keyboard, and also my phone is nexus.

Captain Canada

This post is really confusing, I'm a Canadian and have had the VLC beta for well over a year. The fact that this was unavailable to North Americans is news to me, I also installed this through Google Play and never side loaded it. Love the updated UI btw, waiting on Chromecast support which will be amazing.

DrakeTungsten

Last time I tried VLC (for Android), it was very buggy and crashy. But I'll check it out again now.

gaudette

Not sure why you grouped Canada in this. We had it for year and nowhere did that tweet mention Canada.

http://bertelking.com/ Bertel King, Jr.

The US and Canada were the only two countries excluded at launch. Today we were tipped that North American access was finally available, and since there has been very little press surrounding VLC for Android since its release (and none of us writers are Canadian), we missed that Canada Play Store availability slipped in at some point along the way. The tweet didn't mention Canada, but that happens often enough that it didn't sent off an alarm.

I have updated the post and apologize for the mistake. Thanks for letting me know.

Carlos

Haha now Americans can taste how horrible it feels when something is blocked or not available in another country

Chris X

I don't like it!! **goes pouting off while stomping feet**

Dan Gerbe

Most tech companies are based out of the US so due to convenience and possibly legal issues they most certainly will be released to the US first...

Android Developer

I thought most legal issues actually occur in the US, with all those patents wars and suing everybody over weird stuff.

primalxconvoy

Actually they are not. This'd is especially true for file hosting sites and other technology that doesn't want to deal as much with the NSA, or law suits. You'd be surprised how many video game companies are based in Poland, South Africa, Russia or even Japan these days.

Nick

Eh, not really. The nightly apk files were easily available on their site. Been using this whole time. No regrets, and definitely better than janky MXPlayer.

Kostas

It's not funny when it's done to you guys huh? :P

Bopsy

Det is twey.

Noah Roesler

This does not make any sense... I've had VLC for over a year now.

Bobby Tait

Since the update it has been terrible. Crashes when I put on shuffle and the repeat playlist function on at the same time and is also impeccably slow compared to before!

dude

Sweet, finally I don't have to manual download those nightlies anymore.

Halin

Now you know what it feels to live here (anywhere but NA) when it comes to new features ;)

ArclightX

Is this even worth getting if I'm already married to MX Player with the DTS plugin?

Android Developer

Not yet. I don't see any advantage of it over MX player.
it's buggy, and it doesn't support subtitles well. plus it doesn't have the cool gestures that mx player has.

primalxconvoy

No.

HannahMoore2014

Thanks for sharing such wonderful post, I've been using VLC on my Laptop... Now I'm gonna use it for sure :)

It plays all the video files types I have stored on a micro SD card in the tablet and attached USB flash drive.

I use Stick Mount Pro for the rooted Nexus 5 when USB OTG is used.The VLC app works well.playing the video files on the attached flash drive.

The MX player with added codecs failed with some file types on the Samsung tablet.Mostly no sound.

http://www.standupforkids.org blackroseMD1

Been sideloading nightly builds for a while now. Plays everything I throw at it on a nice, simple Holo interface. Definitely my favorite video player.

artsr2002

Been using MX Player forever. I only use VLC on my desktop. BTW, anyone that needs a a video player to use on the L build for your Nexus 5, this one I linked below works great. MX would crash using software rendering and would severely stutter using hardware rendering.